1996 Dodge Stratus complaints

VEHICLE PARKED. LEFT VEHICLE & FEW MINUTES. LATER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. CONTACTED FIRE & POLICE DEPARTMENTS WHO REFUSED TO COME OUT, INDICATING VEHICLE WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR LEAKAGE IN "O" RINGS WHICH WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS CLEANED. OIL PROCEEDED TO LEAK AGAIN. THERE WAS A RECALL #96V006000. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, LEAKS OIL. *AK

ENGINE HAS SEVERE OIL LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *AK

I NOTICED A LEAK, THOUGHT IT WAS THE VALVE COVER, BUT WAS TIPPED OFF THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE CAM SENSOR. BUT FOUND OUT THAT IT IS THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

OIL LEAKS MAY START FIRE. BLOWN HEAD GASKETS COMMON ON STRATUS AND NEON MODELS DUE TO DEFECTIVE GASKET MATERIAL USED DURING MANUFACTURE OF ENGINE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWICE IN 40K MILES. FEAR FIRE MAY START. *AK

ENGIN EHEAD GASKET LEAKS. *AK

WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKET CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY CHRYSLER AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE NEON HAS BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT THE STRATUS ALTHOUGHTHEY HAVE THE SAME ENGINE PLUS THE GASKET ONLY LEAKS WHEN COLD WHEN CAR WARMS UP. ALSO, ENGINE SEALS ARE A PROBLEM HERE, AND WE KEEP RUNNING INTO DEAD ENDS. *AK

DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET AT 58,000 MILE, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVE HEAT DUE TO WATER/COOLANT LEAKAGES. *AK

ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 96V006000 CHRYSLER/ENGINE, AND COULD NOT BE SERVICED FREE OF CHARGE. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER LAST MONTH REGARDING THE LEAKING ENGINE HEAD GASKET ON OUR 1996 DODGE STRATUS WITH 57003 MILES. WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS REPORTED ABOUT LEAKING HEAD GASKETS. BUT, TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WOULD COST $100 OR SO TO JUST CHECK IT OUT. EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET. BECAUSE OF OUR FINANICIAL STATUS, WE CHOSE TO APPLY THE $100 TO OUR MECHANIC TO ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT TOOK THE MEHCANIC 3 WEEKS TO GET THE PART BECAUSE IT WAS ON BACK ORDER. IMAGINE THAT, NO PROBLEMS REPORTED AND STILL THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. IT TOOK 3 DAYS TO FIX. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THAT HE TALKED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. HE SAID THEY WERE REPLACING ABOUT 2 A WEEK. ALSO THAT CHRYSLER WAS PAYING FOR EITHER ALL OF IT OR PARTS. I CALLED CHRYSLER BACK AND TRIED TO TALK WITH THEM. I EVEN GOT MORE IRATE THAN I SHOULD HAVE. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT HELP US BECAUSE WE CHOSE NOT TO GET IT FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS LEAKY HEAD GASKET WAS NOT A RECALL. WERE WE REQUIRED TO PAY AN EXTRA $100 JUST SO THEY COULD SAY "YES" IT IS THE HEAD GASKET IN ORDER FOR THEM TO THEN SAY "NO" WE ARE NOT COVERING IT? UNDERSTAND MY POSITION, ALL I WANT REEMBURSED FOR IS THE HEAD GASKET ITSELF WHICH WAS $136.30. BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A RECALL, WHY COULDN'T I TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC? MY MECHANIC CHARGES $24/HR LABOR COMPARED TO THE $54/HR THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES. DOES IT MATTER WHO INSTALLS IT WH

VEHICLE HAS UNDERGONE EVERY RECALL, CONSUMER PAID COST OF FAILED ENGINE HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO IMPROPER TIMING BELT INSTALLATION. CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 50MPH ON INTERSTATE, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, PULLED OFF TO SHOULDER, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO PARK TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AND CAR LOCKED UP. PREGNANT PASSSENGER SUFFERED WIPLASH ETC. DODGE CONDUCTED INVESTIGATION (# 5804935) STATED THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. NOTE: INCIDENT OCCURED DAYS BEFORE NOTIFICATION OF SHIFTER RECALL. LETTER SENT BY DODGE STATING THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS, REFUSES TO RELEASE FULL REPORT CLAIMING PROPRIATORY INFO. CONSUMER AGAIN HAD TO PAY FOR FULL COST OF REPAIR, NEW TRANS. $ 1,700. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE. MJS

RIGHT HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHT CONTINUALLY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, THE FAILURE UNKNOWN. *MJS

ENGINE SENDS OUT LIGHT SMOKE DUE TO A LIGHT SMOKE. THIS SMOKE HAS RADIATOR FLUID IN IT, COULD BE DANGEROUS IF INHALED TOO LONG. DEALER CHARGED CONSUMER TO LOOK AT ENGINE. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET ON LOTS OF STRATUS/CIRRUS/BREEZE HAS BEEN LEAKING. I WAS TOLD BY 4 MECHANICS THAT THEY HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS. I HOPE BY TELING YOU THIS IT WILL MAKE CHRYSLER PAY FOR MY REPAIR AND ALSO OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HOPE YOUR INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND HAPPY WITH THERE MAJOR PURCHASES. THE SECOND LARGEST INVESTMENT FOR MOST PEOPLE. THANK YOU .

A WATER PUMP FAILURE AT 87,000 MILESOF WEAR; BELEIVED THIS WAS A FAULTY PART AT 87,000 MILES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

PARKED IN GARAGE NOTICED MASSIVE OIL LEAKS. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC. HE DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT THE MATERIAL THE GASKET WAS MADE FROM WARPED AND IT POPPED THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

ON WEEK OF 10/18/99 CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE A TUNE-UP DONE ON VEHICLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DO NOT DO TUNE-UPS ON VEHICLES WITH AS LOW MILEAGE AS MINE. BUT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER, CHANGE THE OIL, REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR AND DID A 26 POINT CHECK. THE CHARGE CAME TO $272.55. THE FOLLOWING WEEK MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE CHUGGING AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE. SOMETIMES, WHILE DRIVING IT WOULD QUIT FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN START BACK UP AGAIN. SO, MY HUSBAND CALLED ROBERSON MOTORS BACK AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. CANDY BULL QUOTED THAT IT COULD COST FROM $200 TO $450 TO REPAIR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THEM ON 11/9/1999 WITH A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS. THEY CALLED ME BACK AT THE END OF THE DAY TO TELL ME THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY AND THAT THIS MADE THEM MISS THE ALLOTTED TIME FOR MY CAR. THEY WOULD NEED TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. WE LEFT THE CAR THERE OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY CANDY CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN OVER-FUELING. I ASKED WHAT CAUSES THIS? HER STATEMENT WAS THAT IT JUST HAPPENS. AFTER I GOT FRUSTRATED AND TOLD HER THAT I COULD PROBABLY UNDERSTAND IF SHE WOULD EXPLAIN IN DETAIL TO ME BECAUSE I AM FAMILIAR WITH HOW CARS OPERATE, SHE FINALLY EXPLAINED THAT THE TUBES FOR THE SPARK PLUGS WERE TOO LARGE ALLOWING OIL AND FUEL TO MIX UP AROUND THE SPARK PLUGS. SHE STATED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE SOAKED WITH OIL. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND SHE SAID "NO

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL DUE TO A BLOWN OUT HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAID ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

DEALER WAS CONTACTED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING WARRANTY OF OIL USAGE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH THESE 2.4L ENGINES THEY DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HEAD GASKET IS NOW LEAKING OIL ALL OVER THE PLACE. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL WITH THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING INCLUDING THE FIRE POTENTIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A CHATTERING NOISE. EVENTUALLY CONSUMER LOSES DRIVE GEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE CAR WAS SUDDENLY TO LOSE POWER WHILE ON A FREEWAY. *AK

THERE IS AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. ALSO, ENGINE BLOCK IS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. WHEN DRIVING THE OIL IS BLOWING ALL OVER THE PLACE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL THE SUDDEN OIL LIGHT CAME ON. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TIMING BELT/TENSIONER, MY CAR WAS BUILT OUTSIDE OF THE BUILD DATE FOR RECALL. CHRYSLER HAS CHANGED THE PARTS FOR THE GASKETS SEVERAL TIMES, THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM EXISTS, BUT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH IT. SOUNDS LIKE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS IN ORDER!

OIL LEAKAGE FROM HEAD GASKET.

I AM VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE DODGE STRATUS. I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE TO PAY $610 OUT OF MY POCKET FOR A PART THAT THE CHRYSLER MECHANICS THEMSELVES ADMIT TO BE A COMMON FAILURE. I THINK CHRYSLER SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT A LITTLE MORE AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE GASKET WHICH SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE ON ALL THE STRATUS AND NEON'S OF PEOPLE WHOM I KNOW.

WATER LEAKAGE ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR ONLY WHEN IT RAINS WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF ANYTHING WRONG BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS ALSO AN OIL LEAKAGE ONLY NOTICED AFTER AN OIL CHANGE THEY SAY ITS A PROBLEM WITH AN INFERIOR GASKET AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT PROBLEM IN THE PAST

THE RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED TWICE. I HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER OF A BUZZING AND/OR GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN AT LEAST 2 OTHER TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND AM GOING TO TAKE IT IN THIS THURSDAY (10/21/99) AGAIN FOR THE SAME BUZZING NOISE. EACH TIME I TAKE IT IN IT IS THERE FOR A MINIMUM OF 2 DAYS IF NOT LONGER. I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN NOISE. THIS THURSDAY I WILL ALSO TAKE IT IN FOR SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE - THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES NOT START ON ME. *AK

BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED. *AK

ENGINE SUDDENLY LEAKS OIL AFTER DRIVING ONLY 5 MILES ON HIGHWAY...STRONG ODOR OF OIL FROM ENGINE...HAD TO REPLACE ONE AND ONE HALF QUARTS...GARAGE MECHANIC WARNED OF POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE IF NOT FIXED...REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER, CITING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 96V006000 FOR REFERENCE AS IT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM EXACTLY. WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF ANY RECALL BY THAT NUMBER....HAVE PULLED MANY CUSTOMER COMPLAINT REPORTS ABOUT VEHICLE WHICH CITE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING.....CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS...

CAR IS PRESENTLY AT CROWN DODGE@ PHONE # IS 281-556-6400 ROBERT

TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE MODULE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & IT STARTED LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC LEAK CAME FROM TOP OF ENGINE TO WIRES. HAD IT REPAIRED. STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHEN ENGINE BLEW OUT. AT DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER THAT ENGINE HEAD GALLEY PLUG BLEW OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF OIL. NEEDED TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD GALLEY PLUGS & HEAD GASKETS. *AK

TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER, CONSUMER HAS HAD IT REPLACED ONCE, AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSING OIL LEAK

VEHICLE HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD-ON AT ABOUT 45 TO 50MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT CERRITOS DODGE, 18827 STUDEBAKER ROAD, CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA 90703, PHONE 562-402-5335, SERVICE 562-924-8275. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS "BLOWN" AND LEAKING "BADLY" OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE DESIGNED IN HAED GASKET FROM DODGE WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE APPLICATION, AND THAT THE REPLACEMENT GASKET WAS APPROPRIATELLY THICKER WITH METAL LINING AS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. I FEEL THAT SINCE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND FIRE HAZARD, THE 1996 DODGE STRATUS WITH THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR PART REPLACEMENT AND ADDITIONAL SERVICE NEEDED AFTER THIS PROCEDURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE $750 TO $1000.

I HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE SOME FORM OF OIL LEAK SINCE PURCHASING OR IT HAS ALWAYS CONSUMED THE OIL. I HAD TO PAY THE ENTIRE COST THE FIRST TIME FOR THE REPAIRS AND WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THE COMPANY WOULD TAKE CARE OF SOME IF NOT ALL OF THE COSTS THIS TIME. IF THEY DO NOT IT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I OWN A DODGE OR CHRSLER VEHICLE. I AM A VERY DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER . APRIL D. HOTT

I HAD THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED THE FIRST TIME NOT EVEN 20.000 MILES LATER I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. I WOULD APPRECIATE THE CHRYSLER/DODGE CORP. HELPING TO PAY SOME IF NOT ALL OF THE COSTS THIS TIME. IF THEY DO NOT I WILL NOT EVER OWN ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED AT THIS TIME. A HAED GASKET SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES OR SO. PLEASE RESPOND A.S.A.P,. APRIL D. HOTT

HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT CREATING FIRE HAZARD.

I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE HEAD GASKET TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES NOW. I AM TAKING IT IN AGAIN FOR THE 5TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL THE DEALER KEEPS DOING IS PUTTING ANOTHER HEAD GASKET ON AND CHARGING ME MY $50 DEDUCTABLE. THIS IS GETTING VERY TIRING. MY BRAKES WENT OUT COMPLETELY IN 1997 AFTER THE FACTORY RE-CALL HAD BEEN PREFORMED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD PUT THE SEAL IN WRONG. THE LAST TIME I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE HEAD GASKET, NUMBER 4, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE CV BOOT NEEDED REPLACED. DURRING THE REPAIR THE AXEL JUST FELL APART. SAME TIME THE TRANSMISSION PUMP NEEDED REPLACED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED REPLACED AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. AND IT STILL LEAKS FROM THE SAME SPOT THE REAR LEFT OF THE ENGINE.

AIR CONDITIONER/ BRAKES AND ENGINE ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER WII LATER DESCRIBE THE PROBLEMS AND DEFECTS OF VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE DRIVER IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

DEALER SAYS NEED U & L (ALL) BALL JOINTS + RACK AND ALL BUSHINGS REPLACED TO CURE SQUEAK $1100 !!! OR SO

OIL PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. MJS

CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED 4 TIMES FOR SAME FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE ROD BLEW, CRACKING THE CYLINDER WALL, AND RESULTING IN A FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK